Spike and plate for railroads



Feb. 6, 1968 L. J. SUERMANN SPIKE AND PLATE FOR RAILROADS Filed March 15, 1967 I N VEN TOR. L as lie J. Suermam United States Patent O 3,367,576 SPIKE AND PLATE FOR RAILROADS Leslie J. Suermann, 3232 Berwyn Place, Cincinnati, Ohio 45209 Filed Mar. 13, 1967, Ser. No. 622,489 1 Claim. (Cl. 238-366) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An improved railroad spike and plate associated therewith which together function to provide a more effective and durable fastening of rails to the underlying ties besides expediting and making easier the labor involved.

The present invention relates to that phase of railroading pertaining to roadbed construction and the laying of track, a main object of the invention being the provision of a new and improved spike for fastening track forming rails to cross-ties.

In association with the spikes are tie plates underlying the rails, and it is another object of the invention to provide a new and novel combination of spike and tie plate whereby labor involved in laying the track is not only greatly expedited but the effectiveness of the par-ts in withstanding dislocation and the spread-of rails, due to the pressures of heavy traffic, is greatly enhanced.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the invention is shown. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claim.

The accompanying drawing illustrating the invention and forming a part of the specification is as follows:

FIGURE 1 is a view of the invention shown transversely of a rail associated therewith.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged detail showing in side view the improved form of spike which comprises a part of the instant rail fastening combination.

FIGURE 4 is an end view of the spike as seen from the bottom of FIGURE 3.

In the drawing like reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the different views.

Numeral 1 represents a steel tie plate extending longitudinally of and resting on, in this instance, a wood crosstie 2. This tie plate 1 is formed with a transverse channel 3 for receiving and in which is seated the flanged bottom 4 of a standard rail a fragmentary web portion 41 of which is shown in FIGURE 1.

In longitudinal alignment and protruding downwardly from the under face of the plate 1 are a plurality of inverted pyramidal protrusions 5 which, under pressure on the rail or by other instrumentalities are forced into the fibers of the underlying cross-tie 2, thus providing means for holding the plate 1 against dislocation.

In longitudinal alignment with the protrusions 5 and extending through the plate 1 are two rectangular spike receiving holes 6, 6 each in proximity to its respective side wall of the channel 3. These holes 6 are preferably square "ice and the protrusions 5 are, in this instance, square based. A spike, generally indicated by numeral 7, is inserted through each hole 6 and driven into the cross-tie 2. Each spike includes a circular head 8 having a rounded top and a beveled under surface 9 which, when the spike is driven home, comes into gripping contact with the like beveled top surface of the rail flange 4. The elongated shank 10 of each spike 7 is square in cross section, pointed at its free end, has a shoulder 11 adjacent its inner end and terminates beyond such shoulder in a short portion 12 fitted in length and cross section to the plate hole 6 through which the spike is guided.

Opposing faces of the spike 7 between the shoulder 11 and pointed end are a plurality of longitudinally aligned, regularly spaced, elongated V-shaped spurs 13 pointed, in this instance, downwardly. The intermediate side, to the left in FIGURE 3, has like spurs 13 but pointed in the opposite direction to the spurs 13 and alternately spaced with respect to the latter. There are no spurs on the third side of the spike. It will be observed, by reference to FIGURE 2, that the side Walls of the plate holes 6 are slotted, as at 6 for registry with the spurs 13 and 13' of the spikes 1 portions 10 and thus provide guiding means for the spikes as they are driven into the ties. Furthermore, the rounded head of the spike is advantageous to the person applying a hammer thereto.

What I claim is:

1. A fastening means for attachment of the rails of a railroad track to the ties, comprising the combination of an elongated plate having a transverse channel as a seat of a flanged bottom of a rail, a pair of rectangular openings through said plate, one of said openings being on each side of said channel in proximity to its respective side wall of the channel, notches in three sides of said opening, a plurality of inverted pyramidical protrusions from the under surface of said plate, a spike insertable through each of said plate openings to be driven into the underlying tie, said spikes including a head, an elongated rectangular shank in conformity with that of said opening, and a plurality of aligned spurs upon three sides of said shank portion for successive registry with the notches in said plate openings, said spike shanks and their respective openings therefor in said plate being square in crosssection, said plate protrusions being square based, said protrusions from said plate and said spike openings therein being in longitudinal alignment, said spurs on said shank being elongated with those on opposing sides of the shank in alternate spaced relation and pointing in one direction to those in the intermediate side pointing in the opposing direction, said spike heads being circular with a rounded top and having a beveled under surface to engage a like angular top surface of the rail flange, and said shank on each said spike having a broader portion adjacent said head which snugly fits within said plate opening, each said broader portion being equal in length to said plate opening.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,417,385 3/1947 Tilly 238-366 2,401,967 6/ 1946 Sandberg 238366 2,050,432 8/1936 Hayes 238-366 370,164 9/1887 Stillman 238376 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

R. A. BERTSCH, Assistant Examiner. 

